BBC Local Radio to present 47 Blue Plaques

David Bowie, Sandy Denny, John Peel, Alfie Boe and Factory Records are among the music legends honoured by BBC Local Radio and the BBC Asian Network with 47 Blue Plaques for BBC Music Day.

The initiative is part of BBC Music Day on Thursday 15 June, a UK-wide annual celebration of music that aims to unite communities and generations through their love of music. Singers, musicians, song-writers, producers and broadcasters, as well as significant locations that played a major role in musical heritage, will be commemorated with the plaques.

Those honoured with a Blue Plaque include David Bowie, broadcaster John Peel, the Grimethorpe Colliery Band and Delia Derbyshire who composed the Dr Who theme tune.

Bowie is the only artist to receive two plaques to be unveiled tomorrow, one in London and one in Kent. His backing band, The Spiders from Mars, comprising Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder and Mick ‘Woody’ Woodmansey, David Bowie’s backing group in 1970s, will also be honoured by BBC Radio Humberside with a plaque at Hull Paragon Station.

Places getting a plaque include the Brighton venue where Abba won the Eurovision Song Contest, the Fox and Hounds in Caversham where Lennon and McCartney played their only gig as The Nerk Twins, the flat where Factory Records was founded, and the hall in Fleetwood where Alfie Boe gave his first public performance.

The final list, covering a range of musical genres from pop, to rock, folk and classical, was whittled down from BBC Local Radio listeners’ suggestions as well as those from a committee made up of music industry experts and BBC representatives.

The majority of plaques will be unveiled tomorrow in ceremonies broadcast on BBC Local Radio stations. The unveilings, will, in many cases be done by former band members, current musicians or family members of those honoured.

Controller of BBC English Regions, David Holdsworth, said: “It is hugely prestigious to receive a British Plaque Trust Blue Plaque, usually only around two are awarded each year. To mark BBC Music Day across BBC Local Radio with 47 blue plaques is a fitting way to commemorate our listeners’ passion and pride for where they live and to celebrate our musical heritage.”

BBC Asian Network and the British Plaque Trust have also awarded three blue plaques to commemorate people or places from the past that made a significant impact on the wider musical landscape. Asian Network DJs Bobby Friction and Dipps Bhamrah formed part of an advisory panel to select the first British Asian artists ever to be honoured as part of the scheme.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan will be commemorated with a plaque in Birmingham around the 20th anniversary of his death on 16 August, while two further plaques will be installed in East London in honour of Haroon Shamsher (founder of pioneering collective Joi) and Saifullah ‘Sam’ Zaman (aka State Of Bengal).

The full list of blue plaques is as follows:

BBC Radio Berkshire – John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who played their only gig as The Nerk Twins at the Fox and Hounds in Caversham.

BBC Radio Sheffield – Grimethorpe Colliery Band, the world-renowned brass band founded in 1917.

BBC Radio Shropshire –Jeremiah Patrick ‘Jerry’ Lordan, songwriter who wrote Apache, Wonderful Land, and many other hits for The Shadows, Cliff Richard (unveiled on 4 June).

BBC Radio Solent – Harbour Lights, inspired by the sea view in 1937, Jimmy Kennedy songwriter wrote the song that’s been recorded by Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, The Platters and over 100 other artists.

BBC Radio Somerset – Cecil Sharp, who collected and saved thousands of British folk songs – including Blow Away the Morning Dew and Banks of Green Willow.